Business leader Glen Taylor announced his latest venture, the launch of marketing production collective AlongSide Global, with the acquisition of design animation studio Bonfire marking the first step.
Taylor sees Bonfire, which specialises in character animation, motion graphics, flame work and mixed media CGI, as a core set of skills joining the collective. “Bonfire’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve makes it the perfect fit, and together we will take charge of a rapidly evolving landscape,” he said.
Speaking on this new venture, he commented, “AlongSide Global is a collective of creative businesses which are changing the world of production. We believe the future of production is driven by the convergence of new technologies, elite creative thinking and brands who are excited to embrace game changing opportunities. We are committed to implementing new production technologies such as computer generated pipelines into brands to make content creation better, faster and more tailored than ever before.”
The investment in Bonfire reflects Taylor’s ambition to collect the best creative businesses in production and unite them to unlock the power of technology. He foresees a momentous time for production as AI toolsets and Unreal solutions begin to take hold. He believes the future of marketing power is held in unique businesses harnessing this technology, often driven by young, free thinkers who can thrive under the guidance and nurture of AlongSide’s collective experience.
As Taylor takes over as CEO of Bonfire, he will be joined by managing director and leading creative technologist Brendan O’Neil on a number of other ventures within AlongSide. Aron Baxter will be stepping back from ownership but staying on as creative director, while former partner and managing director Jason Mayo will be leaving the industry to pursue outside passion projects. On the acquisition, Mayo said, “Bonfire as well as our clients has always been my number one priority. Knowing Glen and his team will be stepping in gives me great confidence that Bonfire will be taken to the next level”. Gene Nazarov and Mike Seabrooke will remain in their respective roles of creative director and head of production, and Scott Pryor will join as executive producer.
Over the next months, AlongSide Global will unveil several further developments in its plan to revolutionise digital content creation and unlock brands’ potential through innovative, centralised CAD workflows and market-disrupting production technologies.